Kan. House not ready to lessen green energy rules

TOPEKA, AP - The Kansas House isn't ready to back off a state policy requiring utilities to generate 20 percent of their electricity from wind and other renewable resources by 2020.

House members voted 63-59 on Thursday to send a bill revising the policy back to a committee.

The bill would have set the renewable energy standard for utilities at 15 percent starting in 2018.

Supporters of the bill said the current standard is likely to raise consumers' costs. Opponents of the legislation said Kansas now has a favorable climate for developing wind farms.

The House action came as the Senate debated its own bill to give utilities an additional four years, or until 2024, to meet the 20 percent standard. Senators expected to vote on their measure Thursday.